Hi, I am not quite new to GC, but decided to join to learn more and prepare myself for my first two joeys this March. We have a cat named Charlie and a sweet heart.

I just want to hear from other glider owners out there who own a cat. What kind of precautions can I take to ensure our gliders safety, besides making there cage escape free? We are taking the step to bond our gliders and cat before the gliders are even home by using scent blankies. So they should be used to each other scent.

i would be cautious of having them bond - i would want my gliders to be afraid of the cat, in the hopes that they would run and get away quickly. even in play, a cat is very dangerous.i keep my gliders in a room the cats arent allowed in.

I didn't do any bonding or intros with my cat OR my dog, since it's not recommended. The cat really could care less about them. I do use a cage cover that gets closed each night just as an additional protective "barrier". But he steers clear of the cage.

You can't really "intro" a cat like it's another glider. Scent blankies are good in so much that the cat will get used to the smell of another animal in the house and not bother the glider, but it's not going to do anything to make your cat friendly towards the sug. Cats don't really work that way. XD

I do have a cat that has been raised around all kinds of little (and big) animals since she was a kitten and she gets along fine with the glider, but then she is extremely relaxed for a cat, much more so than any cat I've ever owned. I think it's best to err on the side of caution and keep kitty in a separate room when the glider is out or use a tent. It all depends on the cat. Some cats might be interested, some will just be "meh whatever." Make sure the cat can't jump on or stand on the cage and accidentally knock it down.

I think it's best to have no contact between your gliders or other animals. My gliders have their own room and my dogs technically aren't allowed in there... not that they even care. My dogs are big, mellow beasts that ignore all our other pets (ferrets, chinchilla, gerbils) and so when we brought home gliders, they barely even noticed.

I don't have cats, as my husband is deathly allergic to them, but I personally would never trust cats around sugar gliders. One nick from a cat's tooth could kill a glider, as their saliva is teeming with bacteria. They are also more adept at climbing or crafty enough to reach into a cage.

Basically, don't try to bond your glider(s) and cat. Don't let them play together. It's not worth the risk, and your glider(s) and cat will not get anything out of the relationship with each other.

My gliders have their own room. The cats are NOT allowed in it, nor are the dogs. I'm certain that at least one of my cats would do absolutely nothing if confronted with a glider. Yet, no matter how "certain" I am, I'm simply not willing to risk any one of my gliders' lives because of what amounts to my pride and ego.

Yes - I'm proud of my mellow cats! Yes, I have a certain amount of ego tied up in the fact that I live in a "Peaceable Kingdom" of animals.

No - it isn't worth testing.

_________________________
Alden"Animals can communicate quite well. And they do. And generally speaking, they are ignored." Alice Walker

Mom to Valhalla; 6 cats; 1 macaw; 2 hedgehogs;and very many great gliders!

Kayla I also caution you to make sure that your cat is kept away from Trio and Woods. I know you'd never want anything to go wrong so my best advice is don't let them near each other. Also no more cat scenting the blankies. You actually want the gliders to run if they encounter a cat. Natural instinct may be the only thing that keeps your joeys alive if they ever do get out of the cage. Tho you think you may know what your cat will or won't do if you are there in the room you can't say for certain what would happen if you were not. Better not to risk it IMO. Please trust us in this gliders and other animals don't mix well.

I had to chuckle a little at the gliders being afraid of the cats and running. In my home, the dog and 3 cats are the ones afraid of the gliders! They leave them alone because they don't like the crabbing when they happen to get too close. It's pretty funny watching the 50 pound dog tucking her tail and slinking away from the cage where a little 100 gram glider is firmly standing her ground!

I am a firm believer in the natural prey instinct of cats though. I have pretty easy going, mellow kitties, but don't ever expect them to be "friends" or play together. My glider room is left open because after 3 years the cats don't even bother going in there. I do have a friend though whose cat was able to reach a claw through the 1/2" x 1" Klubertanz cage bars and fatally injure her glider. She was absolutely devastated and heartbroken.

So with all that said and with new gliders coming into your kitty's territory, keep the door closed and don't allow any contact.

Very well said, Nancy. And I agree...it really is quite funny to think about it. If Kona (our dog) comes in the room when I'm in there and the gliders are awake in their cage...all they have to do is move and she cries.

I'm 100% in agreement with no contact with cats, dogs or ANY other animals, for that matter.

My little Italian greyhounds love to watch my glider hop around in his cage but they are scared poop-less of my little holy terror! I would never leave my glider unsupervised with the dogs in the room of course but it's funny to watch Vash lure the dogs up to his cage only to crab and scare the bejezus out of my cowardly dogs. Cats however, would scare me around my gliders no matter the circumstances. They can climb on a cage and I just keep thinking it would take one swipe of a clawed paw to cause a catastrophic injury. I love cats but I haven't owned a cat in 12 years since I got my first glider.**I'm also not saying get rid of or don't own a cat, I would just not recommend intros due to a cat's natural predatory nature**

I too used to be a cat queen but no longer own cats. My last kitty died of old age right after I got my first pair of gliders. I decided then that if I was going to be a glider owner I would no longer own cats. I guess you could call me a chicken but I'm not willing to risk a cat getting curious and maybe hurting any of my gliders. In your case Kayla I'm not saying to get rid of the cat. I'm saying don't allow them to be in the same room together. Much safer in the long run.

I have 6 cats and I wouldn't trust any of them with the gliders! When I have the gliders in a pouch and I'm sitting on the couch with them if my cat sees movement in the pouch they will quickly come to where I am and try and pounce on the pouch. My cage is in a room behind close doors because the cats are to curious and still have there claws and could possibly scratch a glider. Not worth the risk. I got my one glider from Pocket Pets and I know there selling point is that they could bond with other animals. Yes the gliders might bond but my cats aren't going to bond to them. It takes two to form a bond. I wouldn't take the chance.Good luck

maybe i got lucky in having a cat who didn't care. she liked the gliders. but then she was raised with them. she was Phoenix's best bud after Dorian died. she would get into his hospital cage and let him lay on her. Babbers would lay ontop of the huge 5'h by 3'w by 4'd and they would bite her and she didn't care. 1 night i woke up to the door open to the cage and the cat sleeping in my bed, the gliders in thier pouch. she didn't budge. 1 night i was cleaning the cage and trying to keep her out. i shut the cage and went to watch tv after i finished. i had to come back to my room after an hour for something and i realized Babbers was in with them !! they were dive bombing her and jumping on and off and she sat there and let them do what ever they wanted. after that they all had supervised play together.

BUT ! when i moved out of my mom's she stayed there. that was 2 years ago. would i let her do this now ? nope. not a chance, i don't know her like that anymore.

when i do get a new kitten i will watch like a hawk to make sure nothing happens to my gliders. kitty will be drop kicked into tomorrow[not really] ! i plan on using a spray bottle to help train the cat.

it also depends on the nature. most cats will consider a glider to be prey. can i override that instinct ? no. would i want to ? no. each animal has it's own unique personality and quirks.

Hi,I have never trusted my cat "Noodles" with any of my gliders untill now.i have been hand rearing a baby for two weeks and he is now 4 weeks oop.I have been obsessed with the cat getting him untill a week ago when i was feeding the baby and the cat jumped up on the table next to us. he began to purr and would not look directly at the baby. i know if i had had a mouse in my hands the cat would have been frantic to get it and kill it, I put the baby close to his face and he turned away. he seems to understand this is a new family member. he was like this with my dogs tiny newborn puppies, and became a great uncle to them when they were older, playing with but never hurting them.I will be very carefull, but it has been a relief as my cat is often in the room without us knowing it. i am going to let them get to know each other as Jack, the baby will spend alot of time with his human family untill another baby who is only 2 week oop at the moment is old enough to keep as jacks companion, so untill then jack will spend his evenings with us which includes our dog and cat!

Yeah, I would never intentionally hold a glider, baby or adult, up to a cat's face....cats have predatory instincts and all it would take is one nip, one swipe of a claw, one bite and that joey would be dead....not really fair to the joey.....that's wayyyyyy too risky and dangerous, I never allow animals of ANY kind around my gliders....to me, it's not fair or kind to the gliders because they can't defend themselves against animals so much bigger and stronger than they are.....

I agree with jess, its like teasing a human baby by holding it out in front of a speeding train. "hehehe are you going to get hit? maybe...nah...maybe"Its not funny, not nice, not humane, and not smart.

My cats and gliders play together via the tent. They enjoy teasing each other and every now and then my youngest cat will bat at the tent but my cats have no claws so no one gets hurt. When the cats get tired of playing they will lay next to the tent closest to where I am. My gliders cant stand it when the cats just lay down and they will run back and forth in front of the cats until one decides to come play some more. I do not think it is inhumane in any way just fun for all. I would never allow my gliders and cats together-- my cats have natural instincts to play with anything that moves.They may not see my gliders as prey but something fun to play with and it is not worth the risk to me.

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Teresa, what I would worry about is the fact that a cat can bite THROUGH the material of a tent. It might seem cute and funny to watch them tease eachother, but you're going to find yourself with a horror story on your hands if one of those cats "playfully" nips at a glider through the tent material....again, something I would never risk....

Well,thats me finished on this website.I am very upset and not prepared to put myslf in a position to be judged by strangers who are all too ready to jump to their own misjudged conclusions and post such unpleasent replies.Oh if only i was as perfect as some!

I agree Holly1221. Each animal has it's own unique personality. Charlie is a pretty laid back kitty, but I would put it past her to want to "play" (not necessarily nice) with the gliders. I do not intend on letting them play together at all. Just knowing cats natural instincts I would trust it, but I do intend on letting Charlie know they exist. They are going to be under the same roof and she needs to know something else is in her territory. Thats were the scent blankies I think are important for Charlie. Not for the Gliders. They probably should be scared of her, she can be scared of them! I know I am not an expert, but I think that Charlie needs to know that someone is going to be coming into her territory and be familiar with that scent. We have been introducing the gliders scent to her when she is in that calm, pet me purring mood. This way she will associate that scent to that mood, instead of a playful mood. This is all theory, but looking at common psychology it think its good.

anyway, We can look at the bright side, I won't be working the first month or so after we get the gliders so will be able to watch everyone closely.......we do have a separate room we can keep the gliders, Charlie always sleeps in our room at night with the door closed anyway, when the gliders are most active, Charlie likes to be outside adventuring if the weathers nice, she is declawed, and if all comes down to it and feel like she is very aggressive.... My mom is really wanting new kitty.

Ya know kayla~ I agree with what you are doing. Just like parents introduce a baby to the family pets through scented blankies~ so should you introduce your new suggies to existing pets in the home.

Its not like these parents put the dog or cat in the crib with the baby~ and its not like anyone is tossing suggies and cats in a room alone together to sort it out themselves.

This is simply about letting the cat be aware of a change~ and it takes some of the curiousity out of the equation because the cat is already familiar with this new scent. (Though I doubt it takes all the curiosity away~ it does help the way you are doing it)

My cat~ can't be trusted. Its simple, I am aware and so my cat knows he is getting sprayed with water if he shows the slightest interest. (The first time he showed interest I caught him hanging on the side of the cage~ years ago. I put a halt to it immediately.)

But in my 7 years of suggies slavery I have had 1 dog and 1 cat that were extremely excellent. That cat though~ has been mine since I was 12~ she is ancient and that probably aided in her absolute non-interest. The dog~ was an exceptional dog and I have never known a dog like her.

As of now~ mandarin will be our last cat. So long as there are suggies we won't be introducing more kitties to our home.And my dogs~ we have 3~ are too short to even see in the cage. They have no interest but I am also aware of their personal boundaries and 2 of 3 would eat them and the other 1 would play too rough. There are no suggie + other pets meeting or playing in our home because I know my pets.

This is very much about constant and careful supervision and awareness of the animal in question. No different than allowing a baby playing with the family dog.

We have 2 dogs, my aunt's cat, and our new suggies here. The sugar gliders have their own room that the dogs are never allowed in. My aunt's cat she got the day before we got the sugar gliders lol and she (Oreo) isn't even brave enough to come upstairs yet, at least not without Lila. Oreo is declawed and fixed and seems laid back but that could also be that she's somewhere new. Because of our dogs the cat doesn't come up much (actually came upstairs for the first time today) and she doesn't tend to stick around long. I'm too nervous to let the other animals around the sugar gliders and am more than happy to keep them in their own room. They do great in there

We've been using the water bottle idea on our dogs when the cat comes up so maybe that would work for your cat and the sugar gliders (like what was said above.) It helps to get their focus off the other animal.